Among the new center’s highlights is the John J. Dugan Infusion Center.
The centerpiece of the first floor addition completed this year, the infusion center honors Dugan, an area businessman and Miami County commissioner who was treated at UVMC before his death to cancer in 2003.
Dugan’s family chose to honor him through an annual fundraiser and support of the Cancer Care Center. “They have been so generous and so dedicated to the Cancer Care Center, I am extremely honored to be able as a hospital to say that we’ve dedicated our infusion center to John J. Dugan,” Jean Heath, RN, BSN, Cancer Care Center Director, said.
The addition gave the center its own first-level entry, a new reception area, family center, hospitality area and library where patients and their families can research materials offered in traditional hardback books, on DVDs/CDs or on Kindles.
Other features include consulting rooms for use by patients and families discussing finances, schedules and questions. New offices bring from several hospital locations to one those working in Cancer Care Center roles such as palliative care, clinical trials and advanced clinical oncology.
“This Cancer Care Center expansion reflects UVMC’s continuing mission to provide a comprehensive continuum of cancer services in our community,” said Thomas R. Parker, UVMC President and CEO. “We’re grateful to the physicians and staffs who have worked so hard to make the expansion a reality, and also to the UVMC Board of Directors and Foundation for their support of this important project.”
The center’s design reflects a natural environment theme with looks of wood and bamboo. “Every step of the way in the process to build this center has been focused around what the patient will experience and how we can make that warm and inviting,” said Heath.
New to the center will be members of the UVMC volunteers, who will help escort patients to their destination and assist families as they get used to the offerings of the new facility.
Those coming for radiation will be directed to the lower level. Those arriving for infusion treatments will find a new area with 10 individual rooms looking over a healing garden. In addition to infusion treatments for cancer, the center will offer infusion treatment such as IV antibiotics and hemachromatosis.
Each infusion room has sliding doors for privacy, a heated, massage chair for the patient, a TV and a window overlooking the healing garden landscaped to include color year round and attract visitors such as butterflies.
“To have the light – light is healing – and the garden and this environment. To allow patients and families to go outside and sit where they can still be monitored and be in a safe environment, I think is pretty unusual. It is going to be wonderful for the patients,” Heath said.
The addition in 2011-12 followed the remodeling of the Cancer Care Center’s original home on the hospital’s lower level in 2010-11.
The remodeling included space for the center’s second linear accelerator, which allowed for more flexible patient scheduling.
Those who have given $1,000 or more to support the $11.1 million Cancer Care Center expansion project and its various programs are recognized on a 13-foot by – 3 ½-foot lobby Donor Wall featuring artwork of fused, colored glass.
Special recognition is given to the UVMC Foundation, the John J. Dugan Memorial Fund for Cancer Care and the Stouder Foundation for their generous support for the Cancer Care Center. Their gifts total, respectively, $750,000; $350,000; and $268,000.
Heath said the goal during years of center planning was to provide a welcoming, comforting, healing environment, but not go overboard.
“We’ve really thought about it, took our time, listened to patients and looked at what we could do to enhance that experience. Of course, more space always helps, but how do you take each one of those experiences and make it better,” Heath said.
“I think we have achieved that goal. I am honored to be part of this system that has really set the bar high in ensuring that cancer care will be in this community for a long, long time.”